Search - John McLaughlin, Elvin Jones, Joey Defrancesco :: After the Rain

Sheer Delight

Bernard | 03/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a delightful record this is! Who could resist the unbelievably swinging Elvin Jones, and the fantastic playing of John McLaughlin and Joey De Francesco here? Well, a few of the other reviewers that's who, but they are way off the mark. I think `music fan' is a misnomer. `Guitar fan' would be more appropriate. (Since changed to 'a customer' anyway.) To dismiss the sheer pleasure of this music due to subjective tone issues is sad indeed. I'm also a guitarist, and appreciate the delicacies of good guitar tone. John's guitar tone here is not at all like Pat Metheny's. Admittedly, chorusing is not one of my favourite things (couldn't resist that one) either, but this music is so wonderful that it's easy to look past what for me, and most others I think, is a minor issue. The sound is chorused, but it's not "watery". It has plenty of bite. Another reviewer even moans about John using one sound on the whole album! That's really funny, because every one the pioneering "Jazz" guitarists I know used/uses only one basic sound for every recording and every performance throughout their entire career!!



Then there's the review in the Penguin guide which says: "Too cleanly recorded, though, and McLaughlin's guitar has a plainer, quasi-acoustic ring, not the full-choke distortion of earlier years." It seems people are very hard to please when it comes to choosing their favourite guitar sound for John McLaughlin! Ignore them all. This terrific album deserves to be heard.



I've heard similar arguments from drummers which don't stand scrutiny either. Drummer friends of mind are really upset that Elvin Jones wasn't "recorded well", and apparently Modern Drummer magazine panned this record for that reason. Do we hear the drummers complaining about John McLaughlin's guitar tone? Do we hear the guitar fans complaining about the recording of Elvin's drums? These are highly subjective areas and shouldn't deter anyone from getting hold of this lovely record immediately!



`After The Rain' is a totally delightful record of irresistibly swinging music, made with obvious pleasure and delight. It's a complete gas from start to finish, and one of the most spontaneous and refreshingly pure jazz records John McLaughlin has ever made or been involved with. It's an absolute joy.



Please don't hesitate to get this beautiful album."

Coltrane Redux

C. W. Lampert | New Jersey | 06/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John McLaughlin can rightly be called a guitar chameleon. From his days with Miles to Mahavishnu Orchestra to "After the Rain," he has never been afraid to search out different musical directions and reinvent himself musically. "After the Rain" is quite simply, one of the most satisfying, straight ahead jazz albums done in years. As always, his virtuosity is breathtaking. His cascading arpeggios and runs are done effortlessly, and always within the framework of the song. What makes this album better than "The Free Spirits," is, quite simply, Elvin Jones, who replaces Dennis Chambers on drums on this album. Jones' drumming is complex, swinging, and impeccable. His insistent rhythms drive Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco to new solo heights, as DeFrancesco lays down hard bass lines that perfectly mirror and contrast McLaughlin's guitarwork. As the band plays such Coltrane classics as Favorite Things, Naima, and Afro Blue, it is easy to imagine Coltrane's distinctive sax echoing, ghostlike, in the backround.I have alway felt that the fire of McLaughlin's guitar was best displayed when his groups had a powerhouse drummer to counterbalance his intensity and virtuosity. Otherwise, McLaughlin simply overwhelms the rest of his band. Hence, the superiority of the Mahavishnu Orchestra records with Billy Cobham on drums. A drummer like Elvin Jones or Billy Cobham also keeps the music more focused, allowing John and the rest of his band to explore and experiment."

A sleeper

D. A Reichley | Jamaica, New York United States | 05/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I always enjoy this record. There's great empathy among the players. I think Elvin Jones, the master, is the real hero of this music. He keeps McLaughlin and Joey DeFranceso, two incredibly gifted musicians from getting too technical or flashy. Rather, it sounds like they all Heard (with a big "H") each other - there's a nice spirit to this record.By the way, they all play great . . . but you knew that."